October 19 Crop Progress & Condition Report

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending October 18, 2015, above normal temperatures combined with no precipitation provided good harvest conditions, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. While temperatures averaged two to six degrees above normal, the first frost of the season was noted in western counties which aided crop drydown. Cattle producers started to move livestock from grass to available stalk fields. There were 6.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 8 percent very short, 33 short, 58 adequate, and 1 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 6 percent very short, 29 short, 64 adequate, and 1 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 18 fair, 55 good, and 21 excellent. Corn mature was at 97 percent, near 93 last year and 95 for the five-year average. Harvested was at 40 percent, ahead of 27 last year, but behind 46 average.

Soybeans harvested was at 79 percent, ahead of 66 last year, but near 81 average.

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 25 fair, 56 good, and 18 excellent. Sorghum mature was at 96 percent, near 94 for both last year and the average. Harvested was at 35 percent, ahead of 25 last year, but near 34 average.

Winter wheat condition rated 0 percent very poor, 6 poor, 32 fair, 55 good, and 7 excellent. Winter wheat planted was at 97 percent, equal to last year, and near 96 average. Emerged was at 83 percent, behind 88 last year, but ahead of 76 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 9 poor, 28 fair, 54 good, and 6 excellent.  Stock water supplies rated 2 percent very short, 11 short, 86 adequate, and 1 surplus.



Access the National publication for Crop Progress and Condition tables at:
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/nass/CropProg/2010s/2015/CropProg-10-19-2015.pdf.

Access the High Plains Region Climate Center for Temperature and Precipitation Maps at:
http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/maps.php?map=ACISClimateMaps.

Access the U.S. Drought Monitor at:
http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Home/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?NE.



IOWA CROP PROGRESS & CONDITION REPORT

 Warm, dry, and windy conditions allowed Iowa farmers to harvest nearly one-quarter of the State’s corn for grain during the week ending October 18, 2015, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 6.9 days suitable for fieldwork, the most days suitable for fieldwork this season. Fieldwork activities for the week included harvesting corn for grain, harvesting soybeans, fall tilling, and spreading manure. Reported concerns for the week included field fires due to the dry, windy conditions, and stalk quality with a few reports of wind damage.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 4 percent very short, 22 percent short, 70 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 2 percent very short, 13 percent short, 80 percent adequate and 5 percent surplus.

Virtually all of the corn crop was mature or beyond this week, one week ahead of last year, and 2 days ahead of the 5-year average. Fifty-two percent of the corn for grain has been harvested, nearly 2 weeks ahead of last year, and equal to the average. Moisture content of all corn being harvested was 17 percent, down 2 percentage points from the previous week.

Ninety-seven percent of soybeans were dropping leaves or beyond, 2 days behind normal. Eighty-three percent of the soybean crop has been harvested, 10 days ahead of last year, and 2 days ahead of average.

Pasture condition rated 58 percent good to excellent. Livestock conditions were described as excellent.



IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY
Provided by Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist
Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship

Iowa experienced another very dry week with nothing more than sprinkles anywhere in the state over the past week. Normal precipitation for the week is 0.56 inches. The reporting week began with unseasonably warm weather with high temperatures reaching 78 degrees at Burlington and Donnellson on Monday (12th). Temperatures from Tuesday (13th) through Thursday (15th) averaged slightly above normal with highs mostly in the low 60s north and east and low 70s west and south. However, there was a freeze over parts of northeast Iowa on Wednesday (14th) morning with temperatures down to 30 degrees at Cresco, Decorah, Elkader and Stanley. Much colder air moved through Iowa late Thursday and persisted through Saturday (17th) night. A freeze was recorded over much of the northwest one-third of the state on Friday morning with a minimum of 27 degrees at Spencer with scattered frost in valley bottom locations elsewhere. However, the coldest weather of the week arrived on Saturday morning with a hard freeze over most of the northeast one-half of the state. Stanley in Buchanan County recorded the lowest temperature with a 19 degree reading Saturday. Another freeze occurred across the north and east on Sunday (18th) morning but readings were generally not as cold as the previous night. Much warmer air made a rapid return to western Iowa on Sunday with Logan reaching 73 degrees. The growing season has ended now over most of the northeast one-half of Iowa. However a freeze has yet to occur over much of southwestern and south central Iowa with the exception of some colder valley-bottom locations. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged from a degree or two below normal across the east to two to three degrees above normal over the far west with a statewide average of 0.3 degrees below normal. Soil temperatures as of Sunday (18th) were averaging in the upper forties northeast to the middle fifties southwest. However much warmer weather will push these soil temperature averages well into the fifties northeast and sixties southwest by Monday.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress - Corn 59% Harvested; Soybeans 77%

Nearly 60% of the nation's corn is harvested and 77% of the soybean crop is in the bin, according to USDA's latest weekly Crop Progress report for the week ended Oct. 18.

Corn is 59% harvested, compared to 42% last week and a 54% five-year average.

Soybeans are 77% harvested, compared to 62% last week and a 68% five-year average.

Winter wheat planting is 76% complete, compared to 64% last week and a 77% five-year average. Forty-nine percent of the crop is emerged, compared to 33% last week and a 49% five-year average.

Ninety-one percent of sorghum is mature and 61% is harvested, compared to 85% and 51% last week and five-year averages of 84% and 52%, respectively.

Ninety-four percent of the cotton crop has bolls opening, compared to 89% last week and the five-year average of 89%. Cotton is 31% harvested, compared to 22% last week and a 32% five-year average.

Rice is 95% harvested, compared to 88% last week and a five-year average of 87%.